The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-08-12

more excitement than did the great
moral upheaval of the day before.
They were reports of depredations by
the Indians.
The Indians had relinquished their
title to the country but they had not
yet given up the idea that it should
belong to them, and they were still
very numerous and aggressive. From
the first stray parties had been at
tackled by them, and every few weeks
the killing of white man by them in
some part Of the Hills was reported.
Now it seemed from the reports that a
number had been killed in different
places almost simultaneously. The In
dams were not so numerous as to
cause any fears of a general massacre
or attack on the camps, but there
seemed TO be little hope for scattering
prospectors and small parties moving
into the country. Indeed it was from
the reports of attacks on these, brought
in by survivors, that caused the alarm
in Golden Sand. For the day that
prosperous city INDUCED in but little
else except hurting words of hatred ut
the Government pets" as the noble
red men were Familiarity referred to.
For the next few days every man who
came into camp told a story of some
new victim or victims of the Indians,
or at least of a hair-breadth escape.
One or two instances of families being
killed who were moving into the coun-
try and were not with a sufficiently
strong force to resist the attacks, were
also reported. In the rush to reach
the best points and most prosperous
camps many little parties of perhaps
only one or two wagons had been
tempted to leave the slow "bull trains"
and press on. Others had left the more
generally travelled trails and attempted
to make a short cut. The Indians
were in little bands scattered through
out the whole country, and nearly
every small party of whites expe-
rienced trouble from them if not loss
of life.
I'D like to know how Doc Reynolds
is gettin' long with EN-" said Judge
Pott on the third day after that gentle
man left.
Don't you worry bout him, replied
Din ANuSCls C4 IAC lhChAC Allu uC IL
rope 'em inter game O draw, or chalk
a faro layout on the ground, an hev
their guns an ponies fore he got
through with EN-"
That same afternoon a Queer-looking
and very short procession came down
the gulch, winding among the rocks
and trees aud bitches and sluices and
piles of dirt out of the shafts and tun-
nels which pierced the mountain side
in almost every direction. This little
party picked its way slowly down the
gulch and then into the main streets of
Golden Sand Camp, so that the Ioung-
ers in front;of the First Chance saloon
which was also the Last Chance if you
took the other view-cOuld see who and
what it was.
1t was headed by woman, pale and
frightened, and little boy, both seated
on a sorry-loOking mule which seemed
to be continually propOunding the old
inquiry as to whether or not life was
worth living.
And just behind, carrying year-old
baby as carefully rs any mother ever
carried her child, walked Doc Rey-
nOlds.
He looked dirty and haggard, as if
he had slept in thickets and had moth
ing to eat since he left Golden Sand.
They went along till they came to
side street which ran q little way up
the hill when Reynolds took the lead
and went straight to Judge Potts
house. he being the only married man
| whose wife was with him who lived in
the Camp.
He helped the woman and child 10
dismount and they went in, being made
welcome by the motherly Mrs. Pott.
| Reynolds laid the baby on the bed and
stood bending over il. All the men in
| the camp fiocked around the door or
came into the one square room of the
Judges residence. The woman sank
into a chair, too much exhausted to
rise To Mrs. Potts inquiries she said
as she hooked around at the strange
faces with n startled, almost wild look:
There were Two wagons in our
party and when we were going through
a little park about twenty miles from
here we were attacked by the Indians
and the whole party killed except the
baby and the little boy and me. We
crept away into the bushes after it was
dark. My husband and the other chill
| dren were all. killed and we were all
wounded, and the baby is very weak,
! though he is sleeping now. We would
/ have all died if this man had not found
| us and brought us here. We came the
whole distance to-day and he carried
| the baby. OH she added, as she
turned toward Reynolds, lyon are very
kind and can't tell you how thankful
am"
The poor woman buried her face in
her hands. Reynolds leaned over and
just touched his lips to the baby's
cheek and said, as he stepped back:
THE baby. is dead"
The baby deadr' cried the woman,
as she sprang toward it. mo, it can t
be, it can't be! l can't let him go,
toor'
Eyes" replied Reynolds, 1.-THE baby
is dead-he died very peacefully, like
my baby died five years ago to-day"
He started to go, then turned and
threw two bright twenty-dollar gold
pieces on the bed beside the woman
/ and said:
That's all I've got-if had more
you should have IT. Then he went
| out.
Hold on" said Judge Pott, ''where
you goin'?''
"Going to leave the camp"
But we want We to stay" inter
posed Lem Upton.
mo, am going-my orders were to
| go and not come back"
! ssTha4,c oil ,.ioyht hut Wa want va tn